野狼社区

Application required: Applicants must apply through and submit a photo, resume & letter of recommendation. 

Age range: This program is recommended for students who are currently in the 9th through 12th grade but especially for rising juniors.

Audition submissions will be accepted beginning Nov. 1, 2024. Students who apply by January 15 save 15% off their tuition.

For questions, please contact our office at [email protected] or call 405-208-5409.

The Pre-College Intensive is intended for high school students who plan to pursue Musical Theater, Acting or Vocal Performance at the college level and need to prepare for the audition process. Each student will receive diagnostic feedback with personal recommendations from OCU Professors that will help set them up for success. The Pre-College Intensive will focus on individual growth and college audition readiness with special emphasis on college list building, selecting the best repertoire, and mastering the self-tape.

Successfully navigating the audition experience 鈥� whether online or live 鈥� is a crucial part of the college admission process.

From self-taping, choosing the right repertoire, learning to interact with an admission panel, or nailing the audition performance, let us be your guide through this experience.

Curriculum will include:

• Dance & acting classes
• Private voice lessons taught by OCU voice faculty
• One-on-one coaching in small groups sith:
  • Dr. David Herendeen - Director of Opera and Music Theatre at OCU
  • Bass School of Music Coaching Staff
  • TheatreOCU Faculty
• Repertoire building - small groups and one-on-one coaching of existing repertoire and suggestions for audition repertoire based on type, style and vocal range
• Faculty masterclasses - your chance to perform for and learn from our faculty members
• College audition readiness - you'll learn about building your college list, pre-screens, and the college audition process in general

BONUS FREE CONTENT FOR PARTICIPANTS

• College Planning Guide
• FAFSA Cheat Sheet
• Making the Most of College Visits
• Resource List for College Planning
• Access to our World-Class Music Library

Wake up early, work, eat, work, sleep, repeat!

Daily Schedule (subject to change)

Monday - Saturday
 

Sunday
 

Dr. David Herendeen - Artistic Director is the Director of Opera and Musical Theater at 野狼社区 University. Originally from upstate NY, he received his Bachelor's in Vocal Performance and his Master's in Music Theater (Direction) from the Oberlin College Conservatory of Music. His Doctorate is from the University of Arizona, majoring in Vocal Performance, with specialties in Drama and Vocal Pedagogy. 

Dr. Herendeen has performed and directed throughout the United States in such places as Michigan Opera and Brevard Music Center. He created the role of Roderick Usher in the world premiere of the reconstruction ofThe Fall of the House of Usher by Debussy, which was televised through CPTV. He performed in the Guggenheim Foundation鈥檚 original production of Kandinsky鈥檚 The Yellow Sound and after winning the Deutsche Oper Berlin's German/American Award, he soon joined the company as one of its resident baritones.

Since his hire in 1997 he has directed and produced hundreds of musicals, operas, and plays. His productions of Gianni Schicchi/Pagliacci and Il Barbiere di Siviglia won first place in the National Opera Associations Opera Performance Competition. Most importantly his teaching and guidance has launched the careers of hundreds of young artists and his leadership and devotion to the OCU legacy has solidly established 野狼社区 University as one of the nation's premiere training programs in Opera, Musical Theater, and Theatre.

Jeffery Pic贸n - Voice Instructor Tenor Jeffrey Pic贸n has proven his versatility as a concert and opera singer in a diverse selection of repertoire. Highlights of recent seasons include his New York City Opera debut in performances of Carmen, Cendrillon,Madama Butterfly, and Tosca. Debuts with the Oregon Bach Festival, the Rochester Philharmonic, Long Island Symphony Orchestra, Cleveland Orchestra, and the United States tour of Bernstein on Broadway with the Israel Philharmonic conducted by Michael Barrett and featuring Leonard鈥檚 daughter, Jamie Bernstein. His Arizona Opera debut in Zemire et Azor, Almaviva in Il barbiere di Siviglia with the Opera Company of North Carolina; both Ramiro in La Cenerentola, and Don Ottavio in Don Giovanniwith Lyric Opera of Kansas City; Paolino in Il Matrimonio Segreto with Opera Theatre of Saint Louis; Trouble in Tahiti with the Caramoor Festival; Fenton in Falstaff with Mississippi Opera; and Tony in West Side Story with the Ash Lawn Opera Festival.

Pic贸n began his professional career as one of the youngest members to participate in the San Francisco Opera鈥檚 Merola Program, and impressed audiences there with performances in Cos矛 fan tutte and Don Giovanni. Other engagements for the native Texan have included Die Entf眉hrung aus dem Serail, 尝鈥橭谤蹿别辞, and Arianna with Opera Theatre of Saint Louis; Don Ottavio in Don Giovanni with Dallas Opera; and roles in Lucia di Lammermoor and Il barbiere di Siviglia with Portland Opera Repertory Theatre; Die Entf眉hrung aus dem Serail with the Opera Company of Philadelphia and Wolf Trap Opera; Les Contes d鈥橦offmann with the Opera Company of Philadelphia; The Rape of Lucretia for Opera Festival of New Jersey; Il barbiere di Siviglia and Semele for Anchorage Opera; Falstaff and厂补濒辞尘茅 with Pittsburgh Opera; and the national touring production of Don Giovanni with Western Opera Theatre.

Equally accomplished on the recital stage, Pic贸n made his Schwabacher Debut Recital in Latin Lovers: Music from South America and Cuba presented by the San Francisco Opera with pianist Steven Blier. Recent concert appearances include Teatro Espa帽oles and Songs of War and Peace with New York Festival of Song, Janacek's From the House of the Dead with the American Symphony Orchestra; Brahms鈥� Liebeslieder Waltzes with Moab Music Festival, Ned Rorem鈥檚 Evidence of Things Not Seen with the Philadelphia Chamber Music Society, and his solo recital debut in Marquette, Michigan. He has appeared with New York Festival of Song at the Moab Music Festival; the Performing Arts Society in Washington, D.C.; Wolf Trap Opera; and at Weill Recital Hall.

Pic贸n can be heard most recently on recording as soloist for Berlioz Requiem with 野狼社区 University. He is also heard as Mike on the recording of William Bolcom鈥檚 A View from the Bridge, which marked his debut with Lyric Opera of Chicago. He is featured on The Music Teacher, an off-Broadway play/opera by Wallace Shawn and Allen Shawn for the New Group, which ran at the Minetta Lane Theater for seven weeks. His television broadcast debut was in December 2003 in the PBS production ofFiesta at the Philharmonic with the Naples Philharmonic, led by Erich Kunzel. Recently, Pic贸n was part of the Emmy Award-winning production of Madama Butterfly for New York City Opera鈥檚 鈥淟ive from Lincoln Center.鈥� He is a graduate of the University of North Texas and the Curtis Institute of Music and is an instructor of voice at 野狼社区 University.

Dr. Catherine McDaniel - Voice Instructor Catherine McDaniel, mezzo-soprano, has performed major operatic roles in Europe and the United States. Her professional debut occurred during the Festival Lyrique de Belle-脦le-en-Mer, France, where she appeared as Niklaus in Les contes d鈥橦offmann and Mercedes in Carmen. Dr. McDaniel also performed the role of Clarina in Rossini鈥檚 La cambiale di matrimonio in the Teatro Accademico in Castelfranco Veneto, Italy. Among her other roles are H盲nsel in H盲nsel und Gretel, Dorabella in Cos矛 fan tutte (multiple productions), Giulietta in Les contes d鈥橦offmann, the Mother in Amahl and the Night Visitors (multiple productions), Lola in Cavalleria rusticana, and the title role in Carmen. Local operatic appearances include Suzuki in Madama Butterfly, Madeline Mitchell in Heggie鈥檚 Three Decembers, and the Mother in two productions of Amahl and the Night Visitors鈥攁ll with Painted Sky Opera; and the inaugural performances of the Southern Plains Opera Ensemble (Cos矛 fan tutte and Pride and Passion: An Operatic Evening鈥攂oth for past seasons of the Rose State Live concert series) and repeat engagements with the 野狼社区 Philharmonic鈥檚 Discovery Concert Series.

As mezzo soloist in Verdi鈥檚 Requiem, she has sung with Maestro Murry Sidlin in his A Defiant Requiem, in addition to performances with Canterbury Choral Society, the 野狼社区 Philharmonic, and the Fort Smith Symphony Orchestra. Further, McDaniel has appeared in performances of Handel鈥檚 Messiah with numerous orchestras in Oklahoma, Texas, and Missouri. Other oratorio credits include Honegger鈥檚 Le roi David, Bernstein鈥檚 Chichester Psalms, and the Oratorio de No毛l by Saint-Sa毛ns. In May of 2009, she sang the Bach B Minor Mass with Canterbury Choral Society and the 野狼社区 Philharmonic, and she performed as mezzo-soprano soloist in Bradley Ellingboe鈥檚 Requiem in the spring of 2017 鈥� the fifth time she had sung this work. An avid performer of new vocal works, Dr. McDaniel has performed a number of world and regional premiers over the years.

Prior to joining the voice faculty of the Bass School of Music (where she has taught studio voice and lyric diction since 2008), Dr. McDaniel spent over a decade as a member of the voice faculty at Oklahoma Christian University. Her current and former students maintain active performing careers on Broadway and national tours, and in companies such as New York City Opera, Portland Opera, Sarasota Opera, the Seagle Music Colony, Bay View Music Festival, Lyric Theatre of Oklahoma, and Music Theatre of Wichita. They include finalists in auditions for the Metropolitan Opera and the National Association of Teachers of Singing, and a large number have pursued advanced voice degrees at the New England Conservatory, the University of Missouri at Kansas City, the University of North Texas, and the Moores School of Music鈥擴niversity of Houston. She holds the Bachelor of Music and Master of Music degrees in voice, both from Stephen F. Austin State University, and the Doctor of Musical Arts degree in vocal performance from the University of Oklahoma, where her dissertation was an analysis of Tales Not Told, a song cycle composed for her by Edward Knight. She was a Regional Finalist in the Metropolitan Opera Auditions in both the Midwest and Texas Regions and a winner of the Advanced Division of the Texoma Regional Auditions of the National Association of Teachers of Singing. Dr. McDaniel is a member of Pi Kappa Lambda National Music Honor Society, Mu Phi Epsilon, Phi Kappa Phi, and the National Association of Teachers of Singing.

Jeanie Sholer - Acting Instructor Jeanie Cooper Sholer has been teaching Acting, Improvisation and Makeup at OCU since 2007. She has taught at UCLA, OSU, and Webster University. She has been a proud member of Actor's Equity Association for 34 years and is also a member of SAG and AFTRA. Jeanie has performed title roles at Lyric Theatre which include SWEET CHARITY, MAME, IRENE, UNSINKABLE MOLLY BROWN AND ANNIE GET YOUR GUN. Other roles include Daisy in DRIVING MISS DAISY, Boo in LAST NIGHT OF BALLYHOO and Grandma in GRAPES OF WRATH at City Rep. Last spring she played E.M. Ashford in OCTC's production of WIT. She was also a solo performer with the OKC philharmonic's ELIS ISLAND, A DREAM OF AMERICAL. She has performed at South Coast Rep, The Direct Theatre, St Louis Rep and Boulder Playhouse. She studied with Uta Hagen at the H B Studio in New York. Her improvisation training is from The Second City in Chicago. Her degree is from UCLA. Jeanie directed THE FARNSWORTH INVENTION and IT'S A WONDERFUL LIFE: A LIVE RADIO PLAY at OCU. Jeanie is a Certified Acting Teacher with the National Michael Chekhov Association and has taught two Acting Intensive Workshops. She has done numerous voice overs for national and regional television commercials, has appeared in several feature films, television series and commercials.

Sheri Hayden - Dance Instructor graduated from 野狼社区 University with a Bachelor of Performing Arts and is a faculty member of the Ann Lacy School of American Dance and Entertainment. She teaches multiple dance styles and frequently choreographs OKCU main stage productions. In 2018, she was nominated for Adjunct Faculty of the Year.

Her choreography credits include Side Show, Sister Act, Evita, Brigadoon, Broadway Bound (OKCU), Mr. Burns: A Post Electric Play (CityRep/OKCU), Meet Me in St. Louis (UCO), The Oklahoma Senior Follies (OCCC), The Seven Last Words of Christ (Church of the Servant) and Grace Trumps (RACE). Her performance credits include He Said She Said, Home, Energy, The Variety Care Benefit Show, 痴补尘辫鈥檇, The Racey Show, Hip Hop Nutcracker, The Girlie Show, Raceless, 鈥淥sage 9th Anniversary鈥� (Commercial) and 鈥淚 Got a Job鈥� (Commercial).

In addition to her work at OKCU, she teaches jazz and tap for the dance and musical theater departments at the University of Central Oklahoma, serves as a company director at Star Steps and is a currently a member of RACE Dance Company. Hayden has performed internationally on cruise ships, with The Pollard Theatre Company in The Producers and with Tulsa Ballet in its North American premier of Strictly Gershwin. With RACE, she performed as a guest artist in Los Angeles in Adam Parson鈥檚 show +3, Quartets. Hayden also collaborates often with the 野狼社区 Philharmonic and has also been a part of several short dance films.

Joe Fitzgerald - Vocal Coach Joe Fitzgerald has served The Wanda Bass School of Music at 野狼社区 University for 6 years as a faculty member and a conductor of the 野狼社区 University Opera and Musical Theater Company.

Hailed as a "coach extraordinaire" by Broadway legend Kristin Chenoweth, Joe Fitzgerald is a vocal coach, conductor, pianist, and organist. A native of Topeka, Kansas, he has called 野狼社区 home since 2015. With more than 50 show credits as diverse as Monty Python's Spamalot and Puccini's Tosca, he is an accomplished r茅p茅titeur, vocal coach, chorus master, and music director. He has been Associate Music Director for Painted Sky Opera, 野狼社区's professional opera company, from its inaugural season in 2016 through the present time, including such productions as Lucia di Lammermoor, La Traviata, Three Decembers, Der Fliegende Holl盲nder and many others. His operatic music directing debut was a concert production of La Gioconda in 2017. 

Equally at home as a church organist and choral director, Fitzgerald's musical career spans to childhood when he first started playing for church. His first organist appointment was at the age of 17 at the North Topeka Baptist Church. He has served several churches in Kansas and Oklahoma as organist and choir director, including his current role as organist at Hillcrest Presbyterian Church, OKC. Fitzgerald has performed with and served as faculty for a variety of academic and professional institutes, including Topeka Civic Theatre, Bay View Music Festival, Metropolitan Ballet of Topeka, the Pollard Theatre, Lyric Theatre of Oklahoma, Canterbury Voices, The OKC Philharmonic, the Taos Opera Institute, and OperArezzo in Tuscany, Italy.  His past administrative roles have included deanships in the American Guild of Organists, Collaborative Piano Coordinator for the Bass School of Music, and founding Artistic Director of OperArezzo.

His former students have gone on to careers as performers in regional theatres and national tours, working in all aspects of the musical theatre industry around the world. His vocal coaching students have had careers as music directors and members of Broadway orchestras, as well as various other theatres at every level. Additionally, his students have gone on to work at the Metropolitan Opera of New York, Lyric Opera of Chicago, Houston Grand Opera, Washington National Opera, Sarasota Opera, Central City Opera, Tulsa Opera, Painted Sky Opera, The Merola Opera Program, The Seagle Festival, Opera Saratoga, and others, and have continued their education at prestigious institutions such as The Julliard School, The San Francisco Conservatory, Rice University, NYU Steinhardt, Manhattan School of Music, and the University of Michigan. 

He has a Bachelor of Arts in Music - Organ Performance, from Washburn University in Topeka, Kansas, and a Master of Music in Vocal Coaching from 野狼社区 University.

To apply, please click to go to our partner organization, GetAcceptd. Once you are registered with getacceptd.com, simply create your profile and GetAcceptd will walk you through the application process. This will include uploading your headshot, resume, and audition materials. A $50 application fee is required to submit your summer application. 

*Note - Please apply to only one program! If you decide to change programs contact us at [email protected] and we can change your program without submitting an additional application.

• Two songs from the musical theater repertoire 鈥� one pre-1970 musical theater selection and one of your choice. Neither song should exceed three minutes.
• Whenever possible, we prefer live piano accompaniment but we will allow pre-recorded accompaniments. Please check your sound balance to make sure we can hear both you and your accompaniment.
• Recordings of live stage performances/shows are not acceptable.
• Unaccompanied (a cappella) auditions should be your last option.

Early Bird Deadline - Jan. 15, 2025 (applications must be received by midnight 1/15/25 to receive the 15% savings on tuition. Student who apply by Jan. 15 will receive acceptance notifications BY Jan. 31.

Stage 2 Deadline - Feb. 15, 2025 Students who apply by Feb. 15 will receive acceptance notifications BY March 1.

Stage 3 Deadline - March 15, 2025 Students who apply by March 15 will receive acceptance notifications BY April 5.

Submissions received after the third deadline will be considered late and will be considered if space is still available until May 31. Late registration fees will be applied as follows in place of the $50 registration fee:

• April 1-30 - $50
• May 1-31 - $60
• After May 31 - $75

Programs that are full will be closed for further applications. 

Acceptance notifications will be made BY EMAIL through your GetAcceptd account on or before the notification deadline.